Mixing bowls used in a kitchen environment basically comprise a base for the stable upright positioning of the bowl, a peripheral wall extending arcuately upward and outward relative to the base, and an upper wall rim defining the open top or mouth of the bowl. The bowl, both interiorly and exteriorly, is of a generally hemispherical configuration which facilitates a blending or a mixing of the contents within the bowl and a manual inclining or tilting of the bowl for facilitating the introduction and use of implements, such as beaters or stirrers, for mixing of the contents.
A problem with the conventional mixing bowl, when inclined and held by one hand, and particularly when subjected to a substantial agitation of the contents of the bowl, is the tendency of the bowl to peripherally roll, tip, or otherwise shift in a lateral direction on the support surface, for example a table top. This, as will be appreciated, can result in improperly mixed contents, spilled contents, and like problems.
A further problem with the conventional mixing bowl, terminating in an upper edge with smooth, hard inner and outer surfaces defining the bowl mouth, is the difficulty in manually gripping the bowl wall. The grip afforded thereby is usually less than satisfactory, particularly as the foodstuffs, during mixing, may tend to spill over the narrow upper edge of the bowl and flow along the exterior of the bowl.
Various attempts have been made to expand the versatility of mixing bowls by providing for a tilting or angling of the bowl to a second stable position, note for example the following patents:
______________________________________ 1,394,540 Diack 1,989,574 Van Roosendael 2,121,165 Slobodkin ______________________________________
No provision is made in these patents for the tilting of the bowl at an angle other than the predetermined fixed angle. Any angling of the bowls other than at the fixed angle would result in the same basic instability as experienced in a conventional rounded mixing bowl when tilted.
It is also of interest to note that the patent to Diack refers to the bowl as preferably being of resilient and yielding material, such as rubber.